Live data from Hacker News

Say less in your emails, get more replies (2017)

gkogan.co

51–53 of 53 posts

Re: Say less in your emails, get more replies (2017)

#51
post #8

This is good advice for all types of email; especially work email. When an email really does need lots of detail, I’ve made a habit of always including a BLUF, or “bottom line up front” - kind of like a TL;DR but more focused on identifying the key things I want the reader to know if that’s the only paragraph they read. I also try to structure and label my emails to make it obvious which parts are “please read all of…

I find an explicitly identified "BLUF" section to be annoying. I can read. If you want to put the most important information or request up front, just do that.

To be clear, I’m not putting a section literally labeled “BLUF” at the top of every email. This is more about a mindset going into the writing process, and ensuring that I always take time to include the most important information in the first paragraph.

I do use section headings later in long emails to help visually break up the content and help the reader skim/find what they’re looking for.

It would be annoying to begin every email with something labeled BLUF. Although I personally wouldn’t care if it would help more people actually put the bottom line up front.

Re: Say less in your emails, get more replies (2017)

#53
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed. The oft said "this meeting could have been an email" ... ... well. Sometimes, no.-

A counter is: this 4 day string of 23 emails could have been a 15 min meeting.

I can see that.-
Post reply on HN